You are here

Cathedral plays Cupid

Salisbury Cathedral’s marketing assistant Amber Rawlings and Kevin Oborne, general manager of the Refectory restaurant played Cupid to what we believe is the Cathedral’s first ever Leap Year proposal.

On Monday 29 February Louise Small from Old Sarum exercised her Lady’s privilege and proposed to her partner, Simon Gale, at the top of the Cathedral Tower!

The idea of proposing to tyre-fitter Simon came about when Louise’s mum spotted a Salisbury Cathedral social media message inviting women who wanted to propose to get in touch. The Cathedral pledged to give away a private Tower Tour for two, whilst Refectory general manager Kevin volunteered to climb the 332 steps to the top of the Tower with some bubbly ready for the big moment!

Louise and Simon, who have known each other for 14 years, have 13-year-old son, Joshua, who also joined in the adventure. He was there to witness his Mum going down on one knee and giving his Dad a ring!

Simon Gale said:

“I came along on a Tower Tour, didn’t think anything of it, obviously thinking what an amazing opportunity it was to see the Tower. Got to the top and she got down on one knee and asked me to marry her….had a suspicion but didn’t know it was actually going to happen!”

Louise Small said:“I didn’t have time to think really, I just went with it….I was very nervous. It is different for a woman to ask a man to ask her to marry her because maybe they don’t feel very masculine about it – apart from today that is.”

Kevin Oborne, general manager, said:

“I know it was a challenge for Louise – but it also forced me to face my own fears! I don’t particularly like heights and Amber had to coax me up the last set of very steep stairs! I’m glad I did it though – it was nice to share Louise’s moment and was a bit of a milestone for me too!”

Amber Rawlings, marketing assistant said:

“I’m so glad it went well, I’d been and bought 14 red roses to represent all the years they had known each other and it would have been awful if Simon had said no – or even maybe!”

In a neat twist of fate, it turns out that Peter Luton, the Cathedral guide who took the couple up the Tower announced his own engagement on 29 February in 1968! A good omen for Louise and Simon!